“And tell My servants to speak what is best. Indeed, Satan stirs up conflict among them. Surely Satan has always been a clear enemy to humanity.”
Sūrat Al-Isrāʾ — Āyah 53
Keyword Focus
يَنزَغُ — yanzaghu: stirs up conflict, provokes discord, or creates tension between people.
What I Learned
(My personal experience. Why did this āyah matter at that moment?)
For some time, I had been frustrated with my doctor’s office because of mixed communication, lack of responsiveness, and an outdated pharmacy refill system. I was becoming increasingly upset, and I started thinking about finding another doctor and making sure they knew exactly how unhappy I was.
I still liked my doctor, but I was not happy with the way the office was being managed. I decided to ask for a call so I could speak with someone in management and explain my concerns.
I was told that there was no upper manager at that time because they were in the process of hiring one. Instead, I received a call from a young woman I had dealt with before and who had already disappointed me.
Before she called, I was already upset and prepared for a difficult conversation. In my mind, I was ready for conflict.
Then her first words were, “How are you? We apologize for the whole thing. The doctor and I love you.”
I was stunned.
In that moment, I realized how much my own thoughts had intensified the situation before I even heard her side. I had already formed negative assumptions about her and the entire staff. I had allowed my frustration to build until I was ready to respond harshly.
I immediately thought about the word يَنزَغُ — yanzaghu, “stirs up conflict.”
The āyah made me pause and look at what was happening within myself. Was I about to allow my frustration, assumptions, and words to become a doorway to conflict?
How It Helped Me
(Life Connection. Practical Grounding)
As we talked, I learned that the office was short-staffed and that this young woman was handling several responsibilities at once. The pharmacy was also overwhelmed with refill requests, which was contributing to the delays and confusion.
She was polite and sympathetic, and she agreed with many of my suggestions about how the process could be improved.
I felt humbled.
I asked myself: Why had I created such a negative picture of her and the whole staff before understanding what was actually happening? Why had I allowed myself to become so angry and prepared myself for a fight when a conversation could have been enough?
The situation also helped me put the problem into perspective. My refill was delayed, but I was not facing an immediate crisis. I could wait a few days and then resume my usual regimen when it arrived. At the same time, instead of only criticizing the problem, I could think about ways to make the refill process easier for both the office and myself.
That felt more constructive—a possible win-win rather than a conflict.
They were not perfect. Their system clearly had problems that needed to be addressed. But they were also people trying to manage a difficult situation with limited resources.
This experience helped me understand the āyah in a more personal way.
Allah tells His servants to “say what is best” and then immediately warns that Satan “stirs up conflict among them.” The connection is clear to me: our words and reactions can either reduce tension or increase it.
I see this in my own life. Sometimes I respond to family, friends, or people around me in a certain way and later ask myself, Why did I say it that way? Was it necessary? Could I have said the same thing differently?
Once the words are spoken, I cannot always undo their effect.
The āyah does not tell me to remain silent, hide the truth, or avoid addressing problems. It teaches me to choose what is best in how I speak. I can be honest and firm when something needs to be addressed, while still being mindful of the effect my words may have.
Harshness can open the door to conflict, while careful and gracious speech can help prevent it.
This applies not only to my relationships with family and friends, but also to the wider community and even between nations. Words can create understanding, or they can deepen division.
I know this is not easy for me. I lose my temper, and sometimes my self gets the better of me. That is why I need to keep returning to the Qur’an, observing myself, and trying again.
I also find myself returning frequently to this āyah:
“And say: My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the provocations of the devils. And my Lord, I seek refuge in You lest they come near me.”
Sūrat Al-Muʾminūn — Āyahs 97–98
“. وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ “
سورة المؤمنون، الآيتان ٩٧–٩٨
These words remind me to seek Allah’s protection when I feel provoked, before my own reactions turn a difficult moment into unnecessary conflict.
Closing Reflection
(Simple and Honest)
I still have a long way to go.
I want to keep reflecting on what the Qur’an is teaching me, so I may learn to live with more peace, choose my words more carefully, and become more mindful of my own reactions.
May Allah ease my journey, forgive my shortcomings, and protect me from the provocations of Satan
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